The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-10
T1pPU rIsps NEW MISSION.

His Reception When He Arrived a the Scene
of His slave-Hunting Exploits
New York sun.
A remarkable experiment is now in progress
in central Africa The Congo State is fight
ing fire with fire. In other words, it has taken
into its service the greatest of African slave
dealers. and hopes through him to suppress the
cruel slave trade which is now decnati the
country far and wide around Stanley Falls
Early in June Tippu Tib arrived at Stanley
Falls, and gladly welcomed by the scores
of Arab traders there until they learned that he
had entered the service Of the white men, and
that he had come back to kill the trade
by which he and they have thrived. The wor Id
will watch with interest the outcome of this
unique experiment. 1t was Tippu Tib who six
years ago led the Arabs several hundreds of
miles down the Congo to Stanley Falls, the la
test stronghold of their trade. 1t is he who has
been depu.ed to drive them back again unless
they obey the laws of the Congo State and give
up their inhuman traffic.
Among the crowds who focked to welcome
him on lis return were five hundred Arabs who
had pitched their camp on one of the big islands
below the falls. They were just completing
their preparations to start down the river a
great slave hunting raid. Tippu lib astounded
them with the news that he was the Governor
of the Stanley Falls district, and that they must
ravage the country no longer for slaves. 1t
is not surprising that they heard this command
from the lips of who had long been the
greatest slave and ivory dealer in central Africa
with astonishment and incredulity. When they
found that he meant what he said they bluntly
told him that they would do they pleased.
Their leader, Said ben Ha bub, almost famous
trader as Tippu Tio himself, told his former
friend that he would not recognize his authority.
Both these men have played a prominent part
in the stories told by African explorers, and
both of them apparently destined to figure
largely in the current history of central Africa.
Fifteen years ago, when Livingstone was writ
l.. ~ l. al - Cx:1
Habub was fighting against King Mirambo, the
powerful native enemy of the Arabs. He de-
scribed Tippu Tib carrying things with
high hand, )" insisting that all the chiefs within
his reach send their ivory to him and putting
one chief in chains who had refused to give him
monopoly of his trade. The two Zanzibar
traders then lived east Of Lake Tanganyika. and
they did not possess half the wealth and infiu-
ence they attained later. when they crossed Tan
ganyika and pushed their enterprises far afeld
to Nyangwe and Stanley Falls, 500 miles from
the scene of their earlier exploits.
These two powerful traders then are pitted
against each other in the battle of civilization
against slavery. II Tippu lib remains true to
his pledges to put down the slave trade in the
district he is to govern we may expect any day
to hear exciting news from Stanley Falls All
we know as yet is that owing to the sudden
and unexpected return of Tippu Tib to Stanley
Falls, only part his force of 2, 900 adherents
and soldiers IS there, and he does not feel strong
enough at present TO exert all the force needed
to compel the submission of the slave dealers.
He has, therefore asked the Congo State to send
him a small force of soldiers and two European,
officers, whose advice and encouragement he
thinks will greatly assist him during the first
months of his new undertaking.
Many of tho ZanZbaris at Stanley Falls
Tippu This own people, and they, of course,
have yielded obedience to his wishes. But
when he left the falls. over year ago, he took
with him up the river large part of his force
who have since been carrying his ivory trade
at Kasongo, nearly 400 miles south of the falls.
When he left Zanzibar with Stanley last spring
for the Congo he sent some of his people over
land to Kasongo to give notice OF his plans.
When the news reaches Kasongo it is probable
that a considerable force will at rejoin
Tippu Tib at Stanley Falls. and he will then be
strong enough to make himself master of the
situation, Kasongo is the little city that Tippu
Tib has built ir central Africa. 1t owes its i'm
portance seey to the fact that it is the of
his enterprises. Lieutenant Gleerup, who vis-
tied rhe town a year ago last spring. says it oc-
cupies a lovely valley, few miles from the
Congo. Il has 5000 inhabitants rec
tangular streets. and number of
and buildings, and
Geerup calls the residence OF Tippu Tib, which
is built of stone, two-stories high. and covers a
large area ''vast and magnificent building"
DIR. LenZ wrote last year that the influence of
Tippu Tib was far greater throughout all the
upper Congo region than that of the Congo
State. 1t was Tippu Tib who disarmed the ma
rives for 100 miles along both banks of the Con-
go when the tribes near Stanley Falls tried to
fight him soon after his first arrival there. He
simply sent his 2. 600 soldiers armed with guns,
along the river. DESTROYED every implement of